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Reflections in Inle/Dec. 1980 I
_Room 105
--4n ~du(;atvl"ln a SYstem vI f)p-
Pl"essivn is ~ithel" l?evvlutivnary VI"
-Lel"vme (j~nnett
In this Issue.
Campus
Mysterious fire plauges MCV
students
New Psychologist at MCV Mary
Soon
• •
Editorial
Mary talks about the truth of
giving
National -State
Independent Black Political party
adopts new charter in Phila­delphia
Interview with' Jack Gravely SPORTS
Gwynda talks ab.Out the politics
of boxing
Jack GratJeJy of NAACP speaks on the org,mq:ation's con~c:",:ru~:===:::~~PhOIO h:"i Jerri Bass
Jack Gravely of the NAACP
By Freda Tyler
An interview with · Jack Gravely of the
NAACP highlighted a lot about him and the
organization.
Qc Why was the NAACP founded?
A- It was founded to acquire and preserve
the rights of black people. The NAACP was
founded in Virginia to fight the poll tax, to
fight segregation, to fight segregated school
practices, to fight laws which prohibit blacks
from sleeping in certain hotels and from eat­ing
in certain places in public facilities and
those kind of things.
Q-Has it achieved irs goal?
A-No, OO:auserheN AACPis.stil1 funaioriing,
Q- What do you think the NAACP's
greatest achievement!
A-IfeeltheNAACP'sgreatestachieo.oement
is one thing - survival. Just the mere fact that
after forty-five years the organization is still
here physicallly, .spiritually, financially and
individually with different local chapters and
local individuals working and fighting for it.
Q- What do you feel is the NAACP's
greatest weakness?
A- It's basic weakness right now is
financially-money. In this day and time and
with the cost of living, the organization's
greatest weakness is money.
Q- Has the N AA CP created or caused
the creation of any other programs or
organizations?
A- I d~finitely think so - organizations like
SCLC, CORE and the Black Panthers were
organizations that I think wefe given birth
by the type of activities and leadership
potential and the needs they thought the
NAACP was or was not providing. The
NAACp· is often refered to as the grand­daddy
or gF~ndmother of black organiza­tions.
The granddaddy or grandmother of
the NAACP is the black church.
Q-Does the NAACP go CO court on-the
behalf of a bracher of sister who has
been discriminated against?
A- Yes, we have several cases in court right
now. For example, the NAACP recently filed
suit against the police force in Matthews
County for the killing of a black youth
Q-Do you think the situation of blacks
has progressed much?
A- Yes, I think the situation of blacks has
progressed tremendously. One of the most
frightening things that's beginning to happen
in the arena of blackness in America is the
schism that's coming about and whether
it's class or color. ]' read an article iust last
week talking about the plight of blacks in
America-whether it's class or color. Overall,
I do feel that blacks have progressed in the
arena of education, economics and politics
especially. ] would like to see 'us make greater
strides in economics than we have in the last
few decades.
Q- What do you feel is the black per­son's
biggest handicap?
A- ] don't think that you can say that one
thing is thatblack person's biggest handicap.
Some people will tell you it's unity-that all
black people aren't together. But] dispute
that. Yolanda King said, "I'm not in the
world to please you and your not in this world
t~ please me. We're not in this world to walk
the same roads together but if we can take
different paths and meet at a point in life,
side by side and be friends - GOOD." I'm
paraphrasing her. I can 't remernb~r her exact
words but that's the point she was making.
I'm saying that to say that black people are
not a monolithic group. You have black
coruervacives, blnck liberals, blnck Republi-cans
and black Democrats, so why is it that
·all black folk must be together? But I think
that there is a common sense of unity and
destiny that runs through all of us and I think
it's color and a common experience that most
of us share. All black folk have not been poor.
All black folk have oot been denied a lot of.
things in life so I don't h"ve the theory that
all black folk have a common cause of history
and a common sense of experiences. We do
not. So I can't say what the one biggest han­dicap
is.
Q- Do you think thar the Ku Klux
Klan is becoming more active or has
always been active just more discreet
'A- Yes, I think the Klan is becoming more
active. I think they' re dealing a lot with pub­
·lic rclations. I think that there's a mean streak
in America that allows organizations like the
Klan to surviv-e. A mean streak meaning
racism and we-don't-want-vou-ism. Really
the Klan has never been dis~reet. They have
always been~ active . The Klan have taken off
their sheets and put on suits a"nd ties and now
they are the board of supervisors and city
council around the country.
Q- How do you feel about black mil­itant
groups?
A- Thev are needed. I've always been very
high in ~he sense of defendi~g the rights of
people who don't agree witli. what is consi­dered
conservative, moderate groups such as
the Urban League and NAACP. The black
panthers were needed.' SNCC and CORE
were needed. I'm not saying that the killing
and violence associated with them were
needed but the groups themselves. There's a
need for opposite groups. Opposite groups
put pressure- on the NAACP also-not just
whites. Opposite groups put pres su~e on
black leadership' to move forward and do
things. These types of groups also move the
status quo leadership in their community.
Yes: I definitely think they're needed. But
my one question is -what is militant?
Q- Looking at the Miami situation, do
you think things are returning back co
day one, co the day of black abuse?
A- I don't think we ever left the day of black
abuse. There has grown up in this country a
small but very well-educated, well paid
group of black folk in the middle class and
white American has a unique way of pointing
to the middle class and saying look black
America "O.J. Simpson is on television wear­ing
a shirt and tie and Muhammad Ali
endorses new sportswear - you've come a
long way." But look at the masses. Go to the
Louisvilles, the Nashvilles and go lothe pool
rooms. Go to Richmond and see who's stand­ing
on Second Street. The days of black
abuse have never left. I think they've become
a linle more subtle and are being down
played a lirrle ~it more ·now. \

Reflections in Inle/Dec. 1980 I
_Room 105
--4n ~du(;atvl"ln a SYstem vI f)p-
Pl"essivn is ~ithel" l?evvlutivnary VI"
-Lel"vme (j~nnett
In this Issue.
Campus
Mysterious fire plauges MCV
students
New Psychologist at MCV Mary
Soon
• •
Editorial
Mary talks about the truth of
giving
National -State
Independent Black Political party
adopts new charter in Phila­delphia
Interview with' Jack Gravely SPORTS
Gwynda talks ab.Out the politics
of boxing
Jack GratJeJy of NAACP speaks on the org,mq:ation's con~c:",:ru~:===:::~~PhOIO h:"i Jerri Bass
Jack Gravely of the NAACP
By Freda Tyler
An interview with · Jack Gravely of the
NAACP highlighted a lot about him and the
organization.
Qc Why was the NAACP founded?
A- It was founded to acquire and preserve
the rights of black people. The NAACP was
founded in Virginia to fight the poll tax, to
fight segregation, to fight segregated school
practices, to fight laws which prohibit blacks
from sleeping in certain hotels and from eat­ing
in certain places in public facilities and
those kind of things.
Q-Has it achieved irs goal?
A-No, OO:auserheN AACPis.stil1 funaioriing,
Q- What do you think the NAACP's
greatest achievement!
A-IfeeltheNAACP'sgreatestachieo.oement
is one thing - survival. Just the mere fact that
after forty-five years the organization is still
here physicallly, .spiritually, financially and
individually with different local chapters and
local individuals working and fighting for it.
Q- What do you feel is the NAACP's
greatest weakness?
A- It's basic weakness right now is
financially-money. In this day and time and
with the cost of living, the organization's
greatest weakness is money.
Q- Has the N AA CP created or caused
the creation of any other programs or
organizations?
A- I d~finitely think so - organizations like
SCLC, CORE and the Black Panthers were
organizations that I think wefe given birth
by the type of activities and leadership
potential and the needs they thought the
NAACP was or was not providing. The
NAACp· is often refered to as the grand­daddy
or gF~ndmother of black organiza­tions.
The granddaddy or grandmother of
the NAACP is the black church.
Q-Does the NAACP go CO court on-the
behalf of a bracher of sister who has
been discriminated against?
A- Yes, we have several cases in court right
now. For example, the NAACP recently filed
suit against the police force in Matthews
County for the killing of a black youth
Q-Do you think the situation of blacks
has progressed much?
A- Yes, I think the situation of blacks has
progressed tremendously. One of the most
frightening things that's beginning to happen
in the arena of blackness in America is the
schism that's coming about and whether
it's class or color. ]' read an article iust last
week talking about the plight of blacks in
America-whether it's class or color. Overall,
I do feel that blacks have progressed in the
arena of education, economics and politics
especially. ] would like to see 'us make greater
strides in economics than we have in the last
few decades.
Q- What do you feel is the black per­son's
biggest handicap?
A- ] don't think that you can say that one
thing is thatblack person's biggest handicap.
Some people will tell you it's unity-that all
black people aren't together. But] dispute
that. Yolanda King said, "I'm not in the
world to please you and your not in this world
t~ please me. We're not in this world to walk
the same roads together but if we can take
different paths and meet at a point in life,
side by side and be friends - GOOD." I'm
paraphrasing her. I can 't remernb~r her exact
words but that's the point she was making.
I'm saying that to say that black people are
not a monolithic group. You have black
coruervacives, blnck liberals, blnck Republi-cans
and black Democrats, so why is it that
·all black folk must be together? But I think
that there is a common sense of unity and
destiny that runs through all of us and I think
it's color and a common experience that most
of us share. All black folk have not been poor.
All black folk have oot been denied a lot of.
things in life so I don't h"ve the theory that
all black folk have a common cause of history
and a common sense of experiences. We do
not. So I can't say what the one biggest han­dicap
is.
Q- Do you think thar the Ku Klux
Klan is becoming more active or has
always been active just more discreet
'A- Yes, I think the Klan is becoming more
active. I think they' re dealing a lot with pub­
·lic rclations. I think that there's a mean streak
in America that allows organizations like the
Klan to surviv-e. A mean streak meaning
racism and we-don't-want-vou-ism. Really
the Klan has never been dis~reet. They have
always been~ active . The Klan have taken off
their sheets and put on suits a"nd ties and now
they are the board of supervisors and city
council around the country.
Q- How do you feel about black mil­itant
groups?
A- Thev are needed. I've always been very
high in ~he sense of defendi~g the rights of
people who don't agree witli. what is consi­dered
conservative, moderate groups such as
the Urban League and NAACP. The black
panthers were needed.' SNCC and CORE
were needed. I'm not saying that the killing
and violence associated with them were
needed but the groups themselves. There's a
need for opposite groups. Opposite groups
put pressure- on the NAACP also-not just
whites. Opposite groups put pres su~e on
black leadership' to move forward and do
things. These types of groups also move the
status quo leadership in their community.
Yes: I definitely think they're needed. But
my one question is -what is militant?
Q- Looking at the Miami situation, do
you think things are returning back co
day one, co the day of black abuse?
A- I don't think we ever left the day of black
abuse. There has grown up in this country a
small but very well-educated, well paid
group of black folk in the middle class and
white American has a unique way of pointing
to the middle class and saying look black
America "O.J. Simpson is on television wear­ing
a shirt and tie and Muhammad Ali
endorses new sportswear - you've come a
long way." But look at the masses. Go to the
Louisvilles, the Nashvilles and go lothe pool
rooms. Go to Richmond and see who's stand­ing
on Second Street. The days of black
abuse have never left. I think they've become
a linle more subtle and are being down
played a lirrle ~it more ·now. \